;the new leader;

[Spice..xx]

Brindlepaw shuffled closer to Mousepaw as they both watched Jasmineflower. His tail flicked anxiously and she wondered if she was ok. He watched her shuddering with surprise. He didnt know that recieving her lives would cause any pain. He shivered with the breeze and sat staring unblinkingly at Jasmineflower

[/center][/color]

[FIREH!!]

Snowflake looked at him. "It's so dark out," she commented.

[SHADE. :D]

Octoberlies nodded. "When greenleaf truly arrives, the nights will shorten and get brighter," he replied. He hated the gloomy darkness of winter nights; then again, the radiant brightness of summer nights did not do much for him, either. He preferred autumb evenings, when the sky was streaked with scarlet and dusted with peach. He sighed happily.

[lonelylove :D]

^{Jasmineflower awoke.
The dream was still fresh in her mind.
It was great to finally become leader,
but Starclan's words scared her.
But she decided to let them not get to her.
She jumped up with the energy of a kit.
She gave the two apprentices a big grin.
I'm leader! I'm Jasminestar now!
She motioned to them with her tail.
C'mon, now. Lets find a place to rest for a bit before going home.}

[FIREH!!]

Snowflake smiled at the younger warrior. "Do you think Jasmineflower got her lives?" She asked.

[Spice..xx]

Brindlepaw purred happily at Jasminestar. It was nice to see her so excited. He then remebered. Jasminestar. She was his leader now! He nudged Mousepaw as he got to his paws. He dipped his heads and said "Yes Jasmineflower I mean Jasminestar!", laughing at his mistake. He stretched out, his legs stiff from sitting still.

[/center][/color]

[trissea]

don't need to be anything other
Than a prison guard's son
I don't need to be anything other
Than a specialist's son
I don't have to be anyone other
Than the birth of two souls in one
Part of where I'm going, is knowing where I'm coming from


Mousepaw let out a deep breath, smiled at Brindlepaw, and relaxed his tensed muscles as soon as Jasminestar awoke. Deligthed, he smiled back, and stood up, feeling each leg pop in dissatisfaction with having had to stay crunched together for so long. "Alright!" He said, smiling at his friend. In his head, the gray apprentince thought; What'll the other apprentinces say when they find out what I've seen? What will Pastelsky think? There he went again with Pastelsky, his mind drifting to her whenever he was bored or excited. It was a stupid infatuation. It could never work.

don't want to be
Anything other than what I've been trying to be lately
All I have to do
Is think of me and I have peace of mind
I'm tired of looking 'round rooms
Wondering what I've got to do
Or who I'm supposed to be
I don't want to be anything other than me

[SHADE. :D]

Octoberlies smiled. "I think she has by now." He peered into the gloom of the cave mouth.

[lonelylove :D]

^{Jasminestar waved her tail.
Follow me.
So she led them outside.
The lilac sky reigned over her as she exited the cave.
The two warriors stood waiting.
She nodded to them.
Starclan has accepted me. I am Jasminestar now.
She waved the apprentices closer.
Let's rest a bit before going back.
That dream was tiring.
She sat down, and put her head on her front paws.
She slowly closed her eyes, and settled into a light doze.}

[SHADE. :D]

Octoberlies dipped his head in respect for his new leader. "Yes, Jasminestar." He got to his paws. His muscles shrieked in prptest; he had been sitting down too long. He sat dow and began to groom with aching body. He then lay down, limbs curled up. He had a new leader now. Everything would be okay. His secret would never be discovered... Would it?

[FIREH!!]

Snowflake nodded, but meowed, "I'll hunt for us first, I'm used to staying up all night." She padded off into the darkness. She soon returned with two mice, a rabbit, a vole, and a thrush. She set it in a pile and lay down beside it.

[trissea]

Mousepaqw followed Jasminestar out of the cave and lay down, exscausted. When Snoflake returned, he took the thrush in his jaws and finished it quickly.

[SHADE. :D]

Octoberlies turned over and shut his eyes. He had eaten his fill earlier. He had never eaten much, even as a kit. He remembered lying by his mother, Sablesky, with his sisters, Springkit and Wavekit. Wavekit had died at two moons. Octoberlues remembered his sisters tearing eagerly at the meat brought to them, while he nibbling his, bit by bit. He felt lulled by the memories, and soon fell into slumber.

[Spice..xx]

Brindlepaw nodded his thanks to Snowflake before taking a mouse. He ate it quickly and then stood up and stretched. He groomed himself and then padded over to Octoberlies. He lay down beside his friend, pressing his body close to him. he felt his eyes begin to close and sighed. He was happy.

[/center][/color]

[trissea]

Mousepaw lay near Brindlepaw and was soon asleep, the sound of his two friends' breathing lulling him to sleep.

[lonelylove :D]

^{A few hours later, a blurry eyed Jasminestar woke up.
A dark orange sky greeted her silently.
She shivered.
Who knew it could be so cold at this hour?
She wiped the sleep from her eyes before nudging all the sleeping bodies that lay close by.
C'mon, Snowflake, wake up! Wake up, Octoberlies!
Mornin', Brindlepaw and Mousepaw!}

[SHADE. :D]

"Hm, hold up.." Octoberlies rolled over as Jasminestar's voice reached his ears. He yawned and blinked open his eyes. Noticing who had spoken to him, he scrambled to his paws, shaking down his grey tabby coat. "Er, good morning Jasmnestar." The tom set about grooming his dusty pelt. He felt hunger grow in his belly, and wondered if they would have a chance to hunt before they set off.

[Spice..xx]

Brindlepaw woke up on his back, his paws battering the air. "Huh, erm uh oh right, morining Jasminestar!" he mumbled. He stretched and yawned a few times, then sat down. His pelt was dusty too so he began to groom himself. He touched his nose to Octoberlies cheek in a good morning.

[/center][/color]

[SHADE. :D]

Octoberlies shook himself down. His fur was neat again. He touched his nose to Brindlepaw's. "You'll be a warrior, soon." The tom mewed. He couldn't wait for Brindlepaw and Mousepaw to become warriors. Then they'd all be abl to sleep in the same den, including Pastelsky. He remembered their apprentice days together; now Mousepaw's and Brindlepaw's would soon be over.

[Spice..xx]

Brindlepaw smiled at Octoberlies' words. He was so excited about finally becoming a warrior. He turned to Mousepaw, wanting to share his excitement with his friend. He saw his friend was still asleep so he flicked him with his tail. "Wake up lazybones!" he meowed jokingly. He stretched again, his joints stiff from sleeping outside.

[/center][/color]

[trissea]

Mousepaw awoke suddenly, yawned, and stood up, stretching stiff legs. "Good morning. What'd I miss?" He had always been a late sleeper, and yet, the oddities of yesterday spun in his mind. He'd needed a good sleep.

[Spice..xx]

"Not much. Just that we have to go." Brindlepaw said to his friend. Now only Snowflake had to wake up. He padded over to her and flicked her gently with his tail. "C'mon Snowflake, wakey wakey." he said softly into her ear.

[/center][/color]

[SHADE. :D]

"No, you do it like this!" Octoberlies strode over to Snowflake's prone form in a businesslike manner. He prodded her ribs with a dusty grey paws. "Wakey wakey!" he mewed loudly. The tabby tom watched her with glittering cerulean eyes.

[trissea]

Mousepaw grinned and batted at Brindlepaw playfully. They'd be warriors soon! He puffed out his chest fur and licked it to lay it back down, waiting for Snowflake to wake up. He was so excited to tell the other apprentinces what he and Brindlepaw had seen.

[lonelylove :D]

^{Jasminestar gave the cats a small grin.
Please don't be so stiff with me.
It makes me feel....old.
She stretched out again before putting the tone of command
back in her voice.
Alright. If you want to eat, do so now.
And fast. We need to get home.
She waved her tail before dissapearing into a patch of ferns.
She returned quickly and shoveled down the mouse in a messy fashion.
Boy, who knew one could be so hungry?}

[SHADE. :D]

Octoberlies gave up trying to waken Snowflake. "Okay. I'm off to hunt," he replied. "Someone else will have to wake up thi lazy mound of fur while I'm gone!" He trotted into the bushes, purring with amusement. He regained all seriousness as he padded through the warm undergrowth. Opening his mouth, he drew in the scents around him. Smelling a young rabbit, he grinned. Crouching down, he cautiously approached the scent. Spotting the creature, he leapt. The fleet rabbit dashed away, but the element of surprise won out. The grey tabby tom reached the rabbit, and, grabbing it in his strong fangs, he killed it quickly. Octoberlies carried his catch proudly back to the others. He sat and began to eat his big catch. He ate until he could eat no more. Than he shoved it over to Mousepaw and Brindlepaw. "You can finish it." The tom got to his paws, and began pacing. He wanted to wear off the feeling of the fresh kill, heavy in his stomach.

[Spice..xx]

Brindlepaw laughed at Octoberlies. He was so eager to become a warrior now, he would get to share a den with Octoberlies again. He missed his friend in the apprentices den. He stood up to go and hunt when Octoberlies offered him and Mousepaw the rest of his rabbit. "Thanks!" he siad, beginning to take small bites so that he left enough for Mousepaw too.

[/center][/color]

[FIREH!!]

Snowflkae blinked open her eyes as Octoberlies left. She smiled. "Haha. He didn't even realize I was faking it!" She began to clean herself.

[trissea]

Mousepaw grinned at Octoberlies and took little bites of Brindlepaw and his shared rabbit, so happy. Why was he happy, though? He didn't even know. He was just- just happy to be alive, really. He curled his tail around his paws as he finished the rabbit, and gave his fur a few licks.

[SHADE. :D]

Octoberlies stopped his pacing, having worn off his breakfast. He pounced on Snowflake, rolling the white cat over with his strong yong paws. "Faking it, right!" he purred.